Armoured Fighting Vehicles of the Irish Army
Encyclopedia
Throughout its history, the Irish Army
has used a number of armoured fighting vehicles.
thirteen Rolls-Royce armoured cars
armed with Vickers .303 machine guns
. were handed over to the Irish National Army
by the British government. All were in service with the Irish Defence Forces
up until 1944 and withdrawn because the supply of tyres was exhausted. The Defence Forces has preserved one Rolls-Royce armoured car named 'Sliabh na mBan', as its believed to be the actual Rolls-Royce that accompanied Michael Collins's
convoy when he was killed.
during the Irish Civil War and were used by the Irish Defence Forces up until 1932. The Peerless armoured cars were fitted with two turrets each both armed with a single Hotchkiss machine gun
. In 1935, 4 Irish Peerless armoured hulls were mounted on modified Leyland Terrier 6x4 chassis. A year later their twin turrets were replaced by a single Landsverk L60 tank
turret. This new vehicle was known as the Leyland Armoured Car and remained in Irish service until the early 1980s. The fourteen old Irish Peerless turrets and its Hotchkiss machine guns
were fitted to Irish built vehicles in 1940 called the Ford Mk V Armoured Car
.
workshops, Dublin, in 1921 for the Royal Irish Constabulary
. 111 Lancia's were received by the Irish National Army and all were disposed of by 1937. As many as fifty Lancia's were fitted with railway wheels and used by the Railway Protection, Repair and Maintenance Corps for railway patrols.
but had a more powerful, water cooled, rear mounted, 6-cylinder Sunbeam Amazon petrol engine, developing 170 bhp at 2100 rpm and a 6 pdr gun was fitted. As many as four Vickers .303 machine guns could be fitted. When the tank was scrapped in 1940 the 6 pounder gun was removed and used as an anti-tank weapon.
was delivered in 1935 and joined Ireland's only other tank the Vickers Mk. D in the 2nd Armoured Squadron. The second Landsverk L60 arrived in 1936. They were both armed with a Madsen 20 mm cannon and a Madsen .303 Machine Guns
. The Landsverk's were still in use up until the late 1960s. One L60 is preserved in running order by the Army and the other is in the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin
.
was based on a 6x4 Leyland Terrier lorry chassis. The first chassis was purchased from Ashenhurst of Dublin in 1934 and an armoured hull from a obsolete Peerless armoured car was modified and fitted. The new vehicle was tested and it was recommended that the twin Peerless turrets be replaced with a single turret. In 1935 3 more Leyland Terrier chassis were bought and the Landsverk L60 tank turret was selected in 1936 to replace the twin Peerless turrets, however it was not until 1940 that all four Leyland armoured cars where finished. The armament of the Leylands was a Madsen 20mm cannon and a Madsen .303 machine gun
. The Leylands entered service with the 1st Armoured Squadron along side the Landsverk L180 and Irish build Dodge armoured cars. In the 1958 the Leylands front hull was modified and were re-engined with Ford V-8s and .30 Browning
machine guns replaced the Madsens plus another Browning was fitted in the hull next to the driver.
One of the Leyland's was scrapped in the 1960s. In 1972 the 1st Armoured Squadron re-equip with Panhard AML armoured cars and the three surviving Leylands joined the reserve FCA 5th Motor Squadron until they also re-equip with Panhard AMLs in the early 1980s.
in 1937 and where delivered the following year. 6 more where then ordered and they were delivered in 1939. A further 5 were ordered but could not be delivered because of the outbreak of the world war. These 5 were used instead by the Swedish army under the designation Pbil m/41. Irish Landsverk L180s where armed with a Madsen 20mm Cannon and 2 Madsen .303 Machine Guns. The Madsen machine guns where replaced with .30 Browning machine guns in the 1950s and the 20mm cannon was replaced in the 1970s with Hispano-Suiza 20mm cannons
take from former Irish Air Corps
De Havilland Vampire jets
. In the 1950s the Landsverks engines were replaced with 5,195cc Ford V8 type 317 petrol developing 155 hp at 3,200rpm. All Irish Landsverks belonged to the 1st Armoured Squadron and used along side the Irish built Leyland and Dodge Armoured Cars until they re-equip with Panhard AML armoured cars in 1972. The Landsverks were then transferred to the reserve FCA units, five going to the 11th Motor Squadron
and three to the 3rd Motor Squadron until they were all retired in the 1980s.
lorries and one was delivered to Great Southern Railways (GSR)
workshops for them to built and fit an armoured body. The GSR Morris Mk IV armoured car had no turret instead the machine gun crew had to fire through loopholes. After the building of the first Morris armoured car it was decided change the role of the planned new vehicles from aerodrome defence to the same role as a regular armoured car. For this role a better chassis and engine was needed than that of Morris Commercial lorries so the seven remaining improvised armoured cars were built on Ford chassis and were known as the GSR Ford Mk IV, they were transferred to the army's Supply and Transport Corps. The Morris Mk IV was disposed of in 1946.
also built by GSR was fitted. All the Ford Mk IVs were built and delivered in 1940. The army sold all 7 Ford Mk IVs in 1954.
. The Ford Mk V was cheaper and had better performance than the GSR Ford Mk IV armoured cars. The old Peerless armoured car
turrets and their Hotchkiss machine guns
were fitted. All Ford Mk Vs were sold in 1954.
.
The first major overseas deployment of Irish troops was to the Congo
in 1960 as part of the UN
force ONUC
. In 1961 an Armoured Car Group with eight Ford Mk VI armoured cars was flown to the Congo. Three more Ford Mk VIs were sent out later that year to the Congo, 2 of which had their turrets removed and a pintle mounted Bren light machine gun fitted in its place. The Brens on the two Ford Mk VIs were replaced in the Congo with Browning .30 machine gun
. In 1962 the UN provided the Irish with twelve new Ferret armoured car
s to replace the Ford Mk VIs. In 1964 six of the Ford Mk VIs were handed over to the Congolese Army.
The 17 Ford Mk VIs in Ireland were retired in the early 1970s.
DEPARTURE OF IRISH TROOPS FOR CONGO
were purchased in 1940. 100 Universal Carriers Mk II were delivered in 1943 and another 100 Mk IIs in 1945. The vehicles were referred to 'Bren Carriers' by Irish troops. The first 26 Bren Carriers were grouped together to form the Carrier Squadron of the Cavalry Corps
. The Carrier Squadron was disbanded in 1943 and its carriers distributed amongst the army's infantry battalions. All 200 of the Bren Carriers Mk IIs were used by the infantry battalions mainly for transporting its 3 inch
and Brandt 81mm
mortars, ammo and crew. Later 2 Mk IIs were fitted with flame throwers for use by the Corps of Engineers
. A number were used in the late 1940s to tow 6 pdr anti-tank guns
and 4 were used by the Cavalry School. The Bren Carriers were retired from service in the early 1960s. With 113,000 Universal Carriers being built worldwide it was the most numerous armoured fighting vehicle in history and with 226 in Irish service it is the most numerous armoured vehicle ever used by the Irish Army.
Motor Torpedo Boat
s and a Madsen .303 Machine Gun
. The other three armoured cars were armed with a Vickers .5 Machine Gun
and Vickers .303 Machine Gun
each. The Madsen armed Dodges were the called the Mark VII Armoured Car and the Vickers armed Dodges the Mark VIII Armoured Car. The Dodges were used alongside the Landsverk L180
and Irish built Leyland
armoured cars in the 1st Armoured Squadron until they were all disposed of in 1962.
tanks in 1948 and a fourth in 1949. They were rented from the British War Office until 1954, when they were purchased outright. This purchase was despite the fact that the supply and transport corps workshops, who maintained them, had reported that spares had all but run out. Experiments were carried out involving replacing the existing Bedford engine with a Rolls Royce Merlin engine salvaged from an Irish Air Corps Seafire
aircraft. The experiment was not a success, although the reasons are not recorded. By 1967 only one Churchill remained serviceable, and by 1969 all were retired. The Churchill Mk VI was armed with an Ordnance QF 75 mm gun
and 2 Besa 7.92mm machine guns
.
s were delivered to the Irish Army in 1959 and a further four in 1960. The Comet was armed with a 77 mm HV gun and 2 Besa 7.92mm machine guns. Severe budget cutbacks were to severely harm the service lives of the Comets, as not enough spares were purchased. The Comet appealed to the Irish Army as it was cheap to buy and run, had low ground pressure, and good anti-tank capability. In retrospect, it was an excellent buy, and would have stood the army in good stead had vital spares been supplied initially. However, faulty fuses meant the withdrawal of the HE ammunition, limiting the tank's role to an anti-tank vehicle. With stocks of 77 mm ammunition dwindling in 1969, the army began an experiment to prolong the life of the vehicle. It involved replacing the turret with an open mounting with a 90 mm Bofors Pv-1110 recoilless rifle
. Lack of funds saw a cancellation of the project. The last 77 mm Comet shoot occurred in 1973 and the tanks were withdrawn soon afterwards. One is preserved in the Curragh Camp, and two more survive in other barracks.
were delivered to Ireland. These 2 Panhards were then shipped to the Irish battalion that was part of the UN force UNFICYP
in Cyprus
. 6 more Panhard AML 60-7 CS armoured cars were shipped direct from France to the Irish troops in Cyprus. Later in the same year another 8 Panhard AML 60-7 CS armoured cars were delivered. The army ordered in 1970 20 AML 90 and 16 Panhard AML 60-7 HB armoured cars all of which were delivered by 1975.
The AML 60-7 CS variant was armed with a DTAT Cloche Special (CS) 60mm mortar and twin AA-52 7.62mm machine guns. The AML 60-7 HB was armed with a Hotchkiss-Brandt (HB) 60mm mortar and twin FN MAG 7.62mm machine guns
. The AML 90 is fitted with a H-90 turret armed with a D 921 F1 90mm gun and co-axial FN MAG 7.62mm machine gun. In the late 1970s the mortars fitted to all 16 AML 60-7 CS armoured cars could not be fired due to a fault and as a result its twin 7.62mm machine guns became its main armament. In 1989 the 16 AML 60-7 CS armoured cars twin 7.62mm machine guns were replaced with a single M2 Browning .5 machine gun each. In 1999 the 16 AML 60-7 CS armoured cars turrets were rearmed with a G12 20mm cannon
and a co-axial FN MAG 7.62mm machine gun. It is now known as the AML 20
The AML 60s have been used on peacekeeping missions in Cyprus, the AML 90s in Lebanon and both the AML 20s and AML 90s in Liberia.
S404 truck and built were in the late 1950s. The Irish Army purchased 15 of the vehicles at a bargain price in 1971 which were originally intended for the police force in the Belgian Congo. They were intended as a stop-gap vehicle for use until the first Panhard M3
APCs entered service in 1972. The Cavalry Workshops modified the Unimog scout cars by fitting a shield that could mount a FN MAG 7.62mm machine gun to it on the roof opening. The type had excellent off-road capability but poor on-road handling due to a high centre of gravity and several accidents occurred as a result. Equipped with a four-man dismountable squad arrangement was carried, but space was cramped, and in any case a four-man detachment was far too small for any sort of realistic military purpose. Other criticisms were that the FN MAG gunner's position was too exposed. By mid 1978 all had been transferred to the Reserve FCA Motor Squadrons. As the FCA did not us the FN MAG it armed its Unimog scout cars with Browning .30 or Bren .303 machine guns. All Unimog scout cars were withdrawn by 1984.
started in 1971 and the Irish Army ordered 60. The first 17 were of the Panhard M3 APCs were delivered in 1972. The Panhard M3 APC used 95% of the components of the Panhard AML armoured cars. A Creusot-Loire TL.21.80 turret was fittet to all 60 Irish Panhard APCs armed with twin FN MAG 7.62mm machine guns. 14 Panhard APCs were sent to Lebanon
in 1978 with the Irish battalion serving with UNIFIL
. At home the Panhard APCs were distributed among the army's 9 infantry battalions and 4 cavalry squadrons. The UN supplied the Irish troops in Lebanon in 1989 with 10 SISU XA-180 6x6 APCs to replace the its Panhard APCs and the 14 Panhards were sent back to Ireland and later scrapped.
a Co Meath
based company designed and built 3 one off prototype 4x4 wheeled APCs designated Marks I, II, III for tests by the Irish army between 1972-1974. In 1977 the army ordered 5 APCs based on the Mk III design known as the Timoney Mk IV APC. All 5 Timoney Mk IV APCs were delivered in 1978 fitted with a Timoney built turret armed with twin FN MAG 7.62mm machine guns. The vehicles suffered from a number of mechanical problems and all 5 were out of service by the late 1980s. In 1981 the army ordered 5 improved Timoney Mk VI APCs and all 5 were delivered in 1983 fitted with a Creusot-Loire TLi 127 turret armed with a M2 Browning .5 machine gun and a FN MAG 7.62mm machine guns each. The Timoney Mk VI APCs were used by the army until 1999.
Originally designed for the British Army
, the Scorpion Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle
began production in the early 1970s, and has been in use with the Irish Army since 1980. The army bought 4 Scorpions each year from 1980-1982 plus 2 more in 1985 bringing the total in Irish service to 14. The Scorpion possesses three crew members and a maximum speed of 70 kilometres per hour, and is armed with a 76mm rifled gun and a 7.62mm coaxial mounted machine gun.
The Mowag Piranha IIIH
8x8 armoured personnel carrier (APC) has been used by the Irish Army since 2001. There are 80 Mowags in service with the army, in 6 different variant types. Fifty-four are armoured personnel carrier
s, eight are command vehicles, two are armoured ambulances, one is a recovery vehicle, nine are Cavalry Recce Vehicles (CRV) and six are Medium Recce Vehicles (MRV).
The APC variant of the Mowag has a crew of two and can carrier a nine man infantry section. It has a maximum speed of 100 kilometres per hour, and is fiited with a one man turret armed with one .5 (12.7mm) Browning HMG, one 7.62mm FN MAG machine gun and eight 66mm smoke grenade launchers. The nine Mowag CRVs are fitted with a Kongsberg Remote Weapon Station (RWS) and can be armed with either a 12.7mm/.5 Browning HMG or a Heckler & Koch 40mm automatic grenade launcher
. The six MRVs are fitted with a 2 man turret armed with a Oto Melara
30mm cannon and 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.
The Irish Mowags have been used on peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Kosovo, Lebanon and Chad.
Light Tactical Vehicles from BAE Systems with the first 2 delivered in April 2010. One of the first two delivered is armed with a FN MAG 7.62mm machine gun fitted to the roof opening and the other is fitted with a Kongsberg Remote Weapon Station (RWS) armed with a Heckler & Koch 40mm automatic grenade launcher.
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
has used a number of armoured fighting vehicles.
Rolls-Royce armoured car
During the Irish Civil WarIrish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
thirteen Rolls-Royce armoured cars
Rolls-Royce Armoured Car
The Rolls-Royce armoured car was a British armoured car developed in 1914 and used in World War I and in the early part of World War II.-Production history:...
armed with Vickers .303 machine guns
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
. were handed over to the Irish National Army
Irish National Army
The Irish National Army or National Army was the army of the Irish Free State from January 1922-1 October 1924. Michael Collins, its Chief of Staff from June 1921 until his death in August 1922, was the last Chief of Staff of the IRA that had fought the Irish War of Independence...
by the British government. All were in service with the Irish Defence Forces
Irish Defence Forces
The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
up until 1944 and withdrawn because the supply of tyres was exhausted. The Defence Forces has preserved one Rolls-Royce armoured car named 'Sliabh na mBan', as its believed to be the actual Rolls-Royce that accompanied Michael Collins's
Michael Collins (Irish leader)
Michael "Mick" Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance and Teachta Dála for Cork South in the First Dáil of 1919, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. Subsequently, he was both Chairman of the...
convoy when he was killed.
Peerless Armoured Car
The Irish National Army received seven Peerless armoured carsPeerless Armoured Car
During the First World War, sixteen American Peerless trucks were modified by the British to serve as armoured cars. These were relatively primitive designs with open backs armed with a Pom-pom gun and a machine gun, and were delivered to the British army in 1915...
during the Irish Civil War and were used by the Irish Defence Forces up until 1932. The Peerless armoured cars were fitted with two turrets each both armed with a single Hotchkiss machine gun
Hotchkiss M1909 Benet-Mercie machine gun
The Hotchkiss M1909 machine gun was a French designed light machine gun of the early 20th century, developed and built by Hotchkiss et Cie. It was also known as the Hotchkiss Mark I and M1909 Benet-Mercie....
. In 1935, 4 Irish Peerless armoured hulls were mounted on modified Leyland Terrier 6x4 chassis. A year later their twin turrets were replaced by a single Landsverk L60 tank
Strv L-60
Stridsvagn L-60 was a Swedish tank developed in 1934. It was developed by AB Landsverk as a light tank which included several design features later adopted by Germany and Russia in their tank designs....
turret. This new vehicle was known as the Leyland Armoured Car and remained in Irish service until the early 1980s. The fourteen old Irish Peerless turrets and its Hotchkiss machine guns
Hotchkiss M1909 Benet-Mercie machine gun
The Hotchkiss M1909 machine gun was a French designed light machine gun of the early 20th century, developed and built by Hotchkiss et Cie. It was also known as the Hotchkiss Mark I and M1909 Benet-Mercie....
were fitted to Irish built vehicles in 1940 called the Ford Mk V Armoured Car
Ford Mk V Armoured Car
The 14 Ford Mk V armoured cars were built by Thompson & Son of Carlow. The Ford Mk V was cheaper and had better performance than the GSR Ford Mk IV armoured cars.14 old Peerless armoured car turrets and their Hotchkiss machine guns were fitted. All 14 Ford Mk Vs were sold in 1954....
.
Lancia Armoured Car
The Lancia armoured cars were built by the Great Southern and Western RailwayGreat Southern and Western Railway
The Great Southern and Western Railway was the largest Irish gauge railway company in Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
workshops, Dublin, in 1921 for the Royal Irish Constabulary
Royal Irish Constabulary
The armed Royal Irish Constabulary was Ireland's major police force for most of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. A separate civic police force, the unarmed Dublin Metropolitan Police controlled the capital, and the cities of Derry and Belfast, originally with their own police...
. 111 Lancia's were received by the Irish National Army and all were disposed of by 1937. As many as fifty Lancia's were fitted with railway wheels and used by the Railway Protection, Repair and Maintenance Corps for railway patrols.
Vickers Mk. D Tank
The Vickers Mk. D was a one-off design built for the Irish Free State and delivered in 1929. It was developed from the Vickers Medium Mark II tankVickers Medium Mark II
The Vickers Medium Mark II was a British tank built by Vickers in the Inter-war period.The Medium Mark II, derived from the Vickers Medium Mark I, was developed to replace the last of the Medium Mark Cs still in use. Production and rebuilding ran from 1925 until 1934. The tank was phased out of...
but had a more powerful, water cooled, rear mounted, 6-cylinder Sunbeam Amazon petrol engine, developing 170 bhp at 2100 rpm and a 6 pdr gun was fitted. As many as four Vickers .303 machine guns could be fitted. When the tank was scrapped in 1940 the 6 pounder gun was removed and used as an anti-tank weapon.
Landsverk L60 Light Tank
The first Irish Landsverk L60 light tankStrv L-60
Stridsvagn L-60 was a Swedish tank developed in 1934. It was developed by AB Landsverk as a light tank which included several design features later adopted by Germany and Russia in their tank designs....
was delivered in 1935 and joined Ireland's only other tank the Vickers Mk. D in the 2nd Armoured Squadron. The second Landsverk L60 arrived in 1936. They were both armed with a Madsen 20 mm cannon and a Madsen .303 Machine Guns
Madsen machine gun
The Madsen was a light machine gun developed by Julius A. Rasmussen and Theodor Schoubue and proposed for adoption by Captain Vilhelm Herman Oluf Madsen, the Danish Minister of War and adopted by the Danish Army in 1902...
. The Landsverk's were still in use up until the late 1960s. One L60 is preserved in running order by the Army and the other is in the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin
Collins Barracks (Dublin)
Collins Barracks is a former military barracks in the Arbour Hill area of Dublin, Ireland. The buildings are now the National Museum of Ireland, Decorative Arts and History...
.
Leyland Armoured Car
The Leyland Armoured CarLeyland Armoured Car
Leyland Armoured Car refers to four armoured cars built between 1934 and 1940 and which were used by the Irish army.-History:The first Leyland Armoured Car was built in 1934, and three more were built by 1940...
was based on a 6x4 Leyland Terrier lorry chassis. The first chassis was purchased from Ashenhurst of Dublin in 1934 and an armoured hull from a obsolete Peerless armoured car was modified and fitted. The new vehicle was tested and it was recommended that the twin Peerless turrets be replaced with a single turret. In 1935 3 more Leyland Terrier chassis were bought and the Landsverk L60 tank turret was selected in 1936 to replace the twin Peerless turrets, however it was not until 1940 that all four Leyland armoured cars where finished. The armament of the Leylands was a Madsen 20mm cannon and a Madsen .303 machine gun
Madsen machine gun
The Madsen was a light machine gun developed by Julius A. Rasmussen and Theodor Schoubue and proposed for adoption by Captain Vilhelm Herman Oluf Madsen, the Danish Minister of War and adopted by the Danish Army in 1902...
. The Leylands entered service with the 1st Armoured Squadron along side the Landsverk L180 and Irish build Dodge armoured cars. In the 1958 the Leylands front hull was modified and were re-engined with Ford V-8s and .30 Browning
M1919 Browning machine gun
The M1919 Browning is a .30 caliber medium machine gun that was widely used during the 20th century. It was used as a light infantry, coaxial, mounted, aircraft, and anti-aircraft machine gun by the U.S. and many other countries, especially during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War...
machine guns replaced the Madsens plus another Browning was fitted in the hull next to the driver.
One of the Leyland's was scrapped in the 1960s. In 1972 the 1st Armoured Squadron re-equip with Panhard AML armoured cars and the three surviving Leylands joined the reserve FCA 5th Motor Squadron until they also re-equip with Panhard AMLs in the early 1980s.
Landsverk L180 Armoured Car
Ireland ordered its first 2 Landsverk L180sLandsverk L180, L181 and L182
The Landsverk L-180, L-181 and L-182 are a family of armored cars developed for the Swedish company AB Landsverk on a Mercedes-Benz and Büssing-NAG truck chassis....
in 1937 and where delivered the following year. 6 more where then ordered and they were delivered in 1939. A further 5 were ordered but could not be delivered because of the outbreak of the world war. These 5 were used instead by the Swedish army under the designation Pbil m/41. Irish Landsverk L180s where armed with a Madsen 20mm Cannon and 2 Madsen .303 Machine Guns. The Madsen machine guns where replaced with .30 Browning machine guns in the 1950s and the 20mm cannon was replaced in the 1970s with Hispano-Suiza 20mm cannons
Hispano-Suiza HS.404
The Hispano-Suiza HS.404 was an autocannon widely used as both an aircraft and land weapon in the 20th century by British, American, French, and numerous other military services. The cannon is also referred to as Birkigt type 404, after its designer. Firing a 20 mm caliber projectile, it delivered...
take from former Irish Air Corps
Irish Air Corps
The Air Corps is the air component of the Defence Forces of Ireland providing support to the Army and Naval Service, together with non-military air services such as search and rescue and the Ministerial Air Transport Service...
De Havilland Vampire jets
De Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
. In the 1950s the Landsverks engines were replaced with 5,195cc Ford V8 type 317 petrol developing 155 hp at 3,200rpm. All Irish Landsverks belonged to the 1st Armoured Squadron and used along side the Irish built Leyland and Dodge Armoured Cars until they re-equip with Panhard AML armoured cars in 1972. The Landsverks were then transferred to the reserve FCA units, five going to the 11th Motor Squadron
62 Reserve Cavalry Squadron
The 62 Reserve Cavalry Squadron is an armoured unit in the Irish Reserve Defence Forces . It was formed in 2005 from the former 11 Cavalry Squadron FCÁ, 11 Motor Squadron FCÁ, 11 Cyclist Regiment FCÁ, and 41, 42, 43, 44 Cyclist Squadrons LDF....
and three to the 3rd Motor Squadron until they were all retired in the 1980s.
GSR Morris Mk IV Armoured Car
In 1940 a Defence Forces committee decided to build 8 improvised armoured cars on lorry chassis for the protection of aerodromes. The Army purchased eight second-hand Morris CommercialMorris Commercial Cars
Morris Commercial Cars Limited was a British manufacturer of commercial vehicles founded by William Morris, who was also the founder of the Morris Motor Company.-History:...
lorries and one was delivered to Great Southern Railways (GSR)
Great Southern Railways
The Great Southern Railways Company was an Irish company that from 1925 until 1945 owned and operated all railways that lay wholly within the Irish Free State .-Formation:...
workshops for them to built and fit an armoured body. The GSR Morris Mk IV armoured car had no turret instead the machine gun crew had to fire through loopholes. After the building of the first Morris armoured car it was decided change the role of the planned new vehicles from aerodrome defence to the same role as a regular armoured car. For this role a better chassis and engine was needed than that of Morris Commercial lorries so the seven remaining improvised armoured cars were built on Ford chassis and were known as the GSR Ford Mk IV, they were transferred to the army's Supply and Transport Corps. The Morris Mk IV was disposed of in 1946.
GSR Ford Mk IV Armoured Car
The seven GSR Ford Mk IV armoured cars were also built by Great Southern Railways (GSR) and were similar to the Morris Mk IV but a turret with Hotchkiss machine gunHotchkiss M1909 Benet-Mercie machine gun
The Hotchkiss M1909 machine gun was a French designed light machine gun of the early 20th century, developed and built by Hotchkiss et Cie. It was also known as the Hotchkiss Mark I and M1909 Benet-Mercie....
also built by GSR was fitted. All the Ford Mk IVs were built and delivered in 1940. The army sold all 7 Ford Mk IVs in 1954.
Ford Mk V Armoured Car
Thompson & Son, Carlow built the 14 Ford Mk V armoured carsFord Mk V Armoured Car
The 14 Ford Mk V armoured cars were built by Thompson & Son of Carlow. The Ford Mk V was cheaper and had better performance than the GSR Ford Mk IV armoured cars.14 old Peerless armoured car turrets and their Hotchkiss machine guns were fitted. All 14 Ford Mk Vs were sold in 1954....
. The Ford Mk V was cheaper and had better performance than the GSR Ford Mk IV armoured cars. The old Peerless armoured car
Peerless Armoured Car
During the First World War, sixteen American Peerless trucks were modified by the British to serve as armoured cars. These were relatively primitive designs with open backs armed with a Pom-pom gun and a machine gun, and were delivered to the British army in 1915...
turrets and their Hotchkiss machine guns
Hotchkiss M1909 Benet-Mercie machine gun
The Hotchkiss M1909 machine gun was a French designed light machine gun of the early 20th century, developed and built by Hotchkiss et Cie. It was also known as the Hotchkiss Mark I and M1909 Benet-Mercie....
were fitted. All Ford Mk Vs were sold in 1954.
Ford Mk VI Armoured Car
In 1941 Thompson & Son, Carlow built twenty eight more Ford armoured cars. Twenty one of the armoured cars were built on new chassis and the other seven built on Ford lorries withdrawn from service. These 28 armoured cars were similar to the Ford Mk V but had a Thompsons built turret and the new vehicle was named the Ford Mk VI armoured car. The turret was armed with a Vickers .303 machinegunVickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
.
The first major overseas deployment of Irish troops was to the Congo
Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)
The Republic of the Congo was an independent republic established following the independence granted to the former colony of the Belgian Congo in 1960...
in 1960 as part of the UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
force ONUC
United Nations Operation in the Congo
Opération des Nations unies au Congo, abbreviated ONUC, was a United Nations peacekeeping force in Congo that was established after United Nations Security Council Resolution 143 of July 14, 1960...
. In 1961 an Armoured Car Group with eight Ford Mk VI armoured cars was flown to the Congo. Three more Ford Mk VIs were sent out later that year to the Congo, 2 of which had their turrets removed and a pintle mounted Bren light machine gun fitted in its place. The Brens on the two Ford Mk VIs were replaced in the Congo with Browning .30 machine gun
M1919 Browning machine gun
The M1919 Browning is a .30 caliber medium machine gun that was widely used during the 20th century. It was used as a light infantry, coaxial, mounted, aircraft, and anti-aircraft machine gun by the U.S. and many other countries, especially during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War...
. In 1962 the UN provided the Irish with twelve new Ferret armoured car
Ferret armoured car
The Ferret armoured car, also commonly called the Ferret Scout car, is a British armoured fighting vehicle designed and built for reconnaissance purposes. The Ferret was produced between 1952 and 1971 by the UK company, Daimler...
s to replace the Ford Mk VIs. In 1964 six of the Ford Mk VIs were handed over to the Congolese Army.
The 17 Ford Mk VIs in Ireland were retired in the early 1970s.
DEPARTURE OF IRISH TROOPS FOR CONGO
Bren carrier
26 Universal Carriers Mk IUniversal Carrier
The Universal Carrier, also known as the Bren Gun Carrier is a common name describing a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers-Armstrong. Produced between 1934 and 1960, the vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War...
were purchased in 1940. 100 Universal Carriers Mk II were delivered in 1943 and another 100 Mk IIs in 1945. The vehicles were referred to 'Bren Carriers' by Irish troops. The first 26 Bren Carriers were grouped together to form the Carrier Squadron of the Cavalry Corps
Irish Army Cavalry Corps
The Cavalry Corps is the armoured formation of the Irish Army. In peacetime the Cavalry carries out various duties in aid to the Civil Power, such as:* Border operations supporting Gardaí....
. The Carrier Squadron was disbanded in 1943 and its carriers distributed amongst the army's infantry battalions. All 200 of the Bren Carriers Mk IIs were used by the infantry battalions mainly for transporting its 3 inch
Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar
The Ordnance ML 3-inch mortar was the United Kingdom's standard mortar used by the British Army from the late 1920s to the late 1960s, superseding the Stokes Mortar.-History:...
and Brandt 81mm
Brandt mle 27/31
The Brandt mle 27/31 mortar was a regulation weapon of the French army during the Second World War. Designed by Edgar Brandt it was copied by numerous countries.-Description:...
mortars, ammo and crew. Later 2 Mk IIs were fitted with flame throwers for use by the Corps of Engineers
Irish Army Engineer Corps
The Engineer Corps is the combat engineering unit of the Irish Defence Forces. The Engineers Corps is responsible for all military engineering matters within the Defence Forces. The main role of the Combat Engineers is to provide engineering on the battlefield...
. A number were used in the late 1940s to tow 6 pdr anti-tank guns
Ordnance QF 6 pounder
The Ordnance Quick-Firing 6-pounder 7 cwt, or just 6 pounder, was a British 57 mm gun, their primary anti-tank gun during the middle of World War II, as well as the main armament for a number of armoured fighting vehicles...
and 4 were used by the Cavalry School. The Bren Carriers were retired from service in the early 1960s. With 113,000 Universal Carriers being built worldwide it was the most numerous armoured fighting vehicle in history and with 226 in Irish service it is the most numerous armoured vehicle ever used by the Irish Army.
Dodge Armoured Car
The first Dodge Armoured Car was built in 1942, four more were completed by 1943 and remained in service until 1962. The Dodges were built on a Dodge TF-37 shortened truck chassis. All five trucks were withdrawn from the army's Supply and Transport Corps. Two of the armoured cars were each armed with a Madsen 20mm Cannon that were formerly used on Irish Marine ServiceIrish Naval Service
The Naval Service is the navy of Ireland and is one of the three standing branches of the Irish Defence Forces. Its main base is in Haulbowline, County Cork....
Motor Torpedo Boat
Motor Torpedo Boat
Motor Torpedo Boat was the name given to fast torpedo boats by the Royal Navy, and the Royal Canadian Navy.The capitalised term is generally used for the Royal Navy boats and abbreviated to "MTB"...
s and a Madsen .303 Machine Gun
Madsen machine gun
The Madsen was a light machine gun developed by Julius A. Rasmussen and Theodor Schoubue and proposed for adoption by Captain Vilhelm Herman Oluf Madsen, the Danish Minister of War and adopted by the Danish Army in 1902...
. The other three armoured cars were armed with a Vickers .5 Machine Gun
Vickers .50 machine gun
The Vickers .50 machine gun, also known as the 'Vickers .50' was basically the same as the Vickers machine gun but scaled up to use a larger calibre round.-Mark II, IV and V:...
and Vickers .303 Machine Gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
each. The Madsen armed Dodges were the called the Mark VII Armoured Car and the Vickers armed Dodges the Mark VIII Armoured Car. The Dodges were used alongside the Landsverk L180
Landsverk L180, L181 and L182
The Landsverk L-180, L-181 and L-182 are a family of armored cars developed for the Swedish company AB Landsverk on a Mercedes-Benz and Büssing-NAG truck chassis....
and Irish built Leyland
Leyland Armoured Car
Leyland Armoured Car refers to four armoured cars built between 1934 and 1940 and which were used by the Irish army.-History:The first Leyland Armoured Car was built in 1934, and three more were built by 1940...
armoured cars in the 1st Armoured Squadron until they were all disposed of in 1962.
Churchill Tank
The Irish Army took delivery of three Churchill Mk VIChurchill tank
The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV was a heavy British infantry tank used in the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies, and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. It was one of the heaviest Allied tanks of the war...
tanks in 1948 and a fourth in 1949. They were rented from the British War Office until 1954, when they were purchased outright. This purchase was despite the fact that the supply and transport corps workshops, who maintained them, had reported that spares had all but run out. Experiments were carried out involving replacing the existing Bedford engine with a Rolls Royce Merlin engine salvaged from an Irish Air Corps Seafire
Supermarine Seafire
The Supermarine Seafire was a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire specially adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. The name Seafire was arrived at by collapsing the longer name Sea Spitfire.-Origins of the Seafire:...
aircraft. The experiment was not a success, although the reasons are not recorded. By 1967 only one Churchill remained serviceable, and by 1969 all were retired. The Churchill Mk VI was armed with an Ordnance QF 75 mm gun
Ordnance QF 75 mm
The Ordnance QF 75 mm, abbreviated to OQF 75 mm, was a British tank-gun of the Second World War. It was used instead of the Ordnance QF 6 pounder , an anti-tank gun, to give better performance against infantry targets in a similar fashion to the 75 mm gun fitted to the American...
and 2 Besa 7.92mm machine guns
Besa machine gun
The Besa Machine Gun was a British version of the Czechoslovak ZB-53 air-cooled, belt-fed machine-gun, which in the Czechoslovak army was marked as the TK vz. 37...
.
Comet Tank
Four ex British Army Comet tankComet tank
The Tank, Cruiser, Comet I was a British cruiser tank that first saw use near the end of World War II. It was designed to provide greater anti-tank capability to Cromwell tank squadrons. It was armed with a 77mm HV, a derivative of the 17 pounder, with the result it was one of the few British...
s were delivered to the Irish Army in 1959 and a further four in 1960. The Comet was armed with a 77 mm HV gun and 2 Besa 7.92mm machine guns. Severe budget cutbacks were to severely harm the service lives of the Comets, as not enough spares were purchased. The Comet appealed to the Irish Army as it was cheap to buy and run, had low ground pressure, and good anti-tank capability. In retrospect, it was an excellent buy, and would have stood the army in good stead had vital spares been supplied initially. However, faulty fuses meant the withdrawal of the HE ammunition, limiting the tank's role to an anti-tank vehicle. With stocks of 77 mm ammunition dwindling in 1969, the army began an experiment to prolong the life of the vehicle. It involved replacing the turret with an open mounting with a 90 mm Bofors Pv-1110 recoilless rifle
Pvpj 1110
The Pvpj 1110 is a Swedish 90 mm rifled recoilless gun. It is also widely known as Pv-1110. It entered service at the early 1960s and was phased out of service in the Swedish Army in the late 1990s after 1600 had been produced...
. Lack of funds saw a cancellation of the project. The last 77 mm Comet shoot occurred in 1973 and the tanks were withdrawn soon afterwards. One is preserved in the Curragh Camp, and two more survive in other barracks.
Panhard AML Armoured Car
In 1964 the first 2 Panhard AML 60-7 CS armoured carsPanhard AML
-Former Operators:: unknown number of AML-60s and AML-90s in service between 1960-1975.: 34 Eland 90s and Eland 60s in service with the Rhodesian Security Forces in 1979, passed on to successor state.-Trivia:...
were delivered to Ireland. These 2 Panhards were then shipped to the Irish battalion that was part of the UN force UNFICYP
United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus was established in 1964 to prevent a recurrence of fighting between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and a return to normal conditions...
in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. 6 more Panhard AML 60-7 CS armoured cars were shipped direct from France to the Irish troops in Cyprus. Later in the same year another 8 Panhard AML 60-7 CS armoured cars were delivered. The army ordered in 1970 20 AML 90 and 16 Panhard AML 60-7 HB armoured cars all of which were delivered by 1975.
The AML 60-7 CS variant was armed with a DTAT Cloche Special (CS) 60mm mortar and twin AA-52 7.62mm machine guns. The AML 60-7 HB was armed with a Hotchkiss-Brandt (HB) 60mm mortar and twin FN MAG 7.62mm machine guns
FN MAG
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the...
. The AML 90 is fitted with a H-90 turret armed with a D 921 F1 90mm gun and co-axial FN MAG 7.62mm machine gun. In the late 1970s the mortars fitted to all 16 AML 60-7 CS armoured cars could not be fired due to a fault and as a result its twin 7.62mm machine guns became its main armament. In 1989 the 16 AML 60-7 CS armoured cars twin 7.62mm machine guns were replaced with a single M2 Browning .5 machine gun each. In 1999 the 16 AML 60-7 CS armoured cars turrets were rearmed with a G12 20mm cannon
20 mm modèle F2 gun
- History :The need for a newer 20 mm defence cannon than the Oerlikon 20 mm cannon began to grow noticeably during the 1980s. The companies DCN and GIAT were contracted to design the F2 20 mm cannon, which essentially a navalised version of the M693 gun used by the French Army, and sold for...
and a co-axial FN MAG 7.62mm machine gun. It is now known as the AML 20
The AML 60s have been used on peacekeeping missions in Cyprus, the AML 90s in Lebanon and both the AML 20s and AML 90s in Liberia.
Landsverk Unimog Scout Car
The Landsverk Unimog Scout Car was based on the UnimogUnimog
Unimog is a range of multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is pronounced in German and is an acronym for the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for machine or device...
S404 truck and built were in the late 1950s. The Irish Army purchased 15 of the vehicles at a bargain price in 1971 which were originally intended for the police force in the Belgian Congo. They were intended as a stop-gap vehicle for use until the first Panhard M3
Panhard M3
The Panhard M3 VTT , armoured personnel carrier was designed as a private venture with the first prototype completed in 1969. The prototype had a single door in each side of the hull and twin doors in the hull rear...
APCs entered service in 1972. The Cavalry Workshops modified the Unimog scout cars by fitting a shield that could mount a FN MAG 7.62mm machine gun to it on the roof opening. The type had excellent off-road capability but poor on-road handling due to a high centre of gravity and several accidents occurred as a result. Equipped with a four-man dismountable squad arrangement was carried, but space was cramped, and in any case a four-man detachment was far too small for any sort of realistic military purpose. Other criticisms were that the FN MAG gunner's position was too exposed. By mid 1978 all had been transferred to the Reserve FCA Motor Squadrons. As the FCA did not us the FN MAG it armed its Unimog scout cars with Browning .30 or Bren .303 machine guns. All Unimog scout cars were withdrawn by 1984.
Panhard Armoured Personnel Carrier
Production of the Panhard M3 VTT armoured personnel carrierPanhard M3
The Panhard M3 VTT , armoured personnel carrier was designed as a private venture with the first prototype completed in 1969. The prototype had a single door in each side of the hull and twin doors in the hull rear...
started in 1971 and the Irish Army ordered 60. The first 17 were of the Panhard M3 APCs were delivered in 1972. The Panhard M3 APC used 95% of the components of the Panhard AML armoured cars. A Creusot-Loire TL.21.80 turret was fittet to all 60 Irish Panhard APCs armed with twin FN MAG 7.62mm machine guns. 14 Panhard APCs were sent to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
in 1978 with the Irish battalion serving with UNIFIL
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, was created by the United Nations, with the adoption of Security Council Resolution 425 and 426 on 19 March 1978, to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon which Israel had invaded five days prior, restore international peace and security,...
. At home the Panhard APCs were distributed among the army's 9 infantry battalions and 4 cavalry squadrons. The UN supplied the Irish troops in Lebanon in 1989 with 10 SISU XA-180 6x6 APCs to replace the its Panhard APCs and the 14 Panhards were sent back to Ireland and later scrapped.
Timoney Armoured Personnel Carrier
TimoneyTimoney Technology Limited of Ireland
Timoney Technology Limited of Ireland is an Irish company which designs, develops and manufactures powertrains and independent suspension systems for heavy duty trucks, motor coaches and military vehicles.-Military:...
a Co Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
based company designed and built 3 one off prototype 4x4 wheeled APCs designated Marks I, II, III for tests by the Irish army between 1972-1974. In 1977 the army ordered 5 APCs based on the Mk III design known as the Timoney Mk IV APC. All 5 Timoney Mk IV APCs were delivered in 1978 fitted with a Timoney built turret armed with twin FN MAG 7.62mm machine guns. The vehicles suffered from a number of mechanical problems and all 5 were out of service by the late 1980s. In 1981 the army ordered 5 improved Timoney Mk VI APCs and all 5 were delivered in 1983 fitted with a Creusot-Loire TLi 127 turret armed with a M2 Browning .5 machine gun and a FN MAG 7.62mm machine guns each. The Timoney Mk VI APCs were used by the army until 1999.
Scorpion Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, the Scorpion Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle
FV101 Scorpion
The FV101 Scorpion is a British armoured reconnaissance vehicle. It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance , CVR, family of seven armoured vehicles...
began production in the early 1970s, and has been in use with the Irish Army since 1980. The army bought 4 Scorpions each year from 1980-1982 plus 2 more in 1985 bringing the total in Irish service to 14. The Scorpion possesses three crew members and a maximum speed of 70 kilometres per hour, and is armed with a 76mm rifled gun and a 7.62mm coaxial mounted machine gun.
SISU Armoured Personnel Carrier
The UN supplied the Irish troops serving with UNIFIL in Lebannon in 1989 with 10 SISU XA-180 6x6 APCs to replace its 14 Panhard APCs. The Irish Army purchased 2 SISU APCs in 1990 as training vehicles for soldiers preparing for service with UNIFIL. The 2 Irish SISU APCs were sent to Somalia in 1993 for use by Irish troops serving with UNOSOM II and returned to Ireland in 1994. Both Irish SISUs and the 10 UN SISUs in Irish use were fitted with the same Creusot-Loire TL.21.80 turret with twin FN MAG 7.62mm machine guns as the Panhard APC.MOWAG Armoured Personnel Carrier
Mowag Piranha
The MOWAG Piranha is a family of armoured fighting vehicles designed by the Swiss MOWAG , corporation....
8x8 armoured personnel carrier (APC) has been used by the Irish Army since 2001. There are 80 Mowags in service with the army, in 6 different variant types. Fifty-four are armoured personnel carrier
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
s, eight are command vehicles, two are armoured ambulances, one is a recovery vehicle, nine are Cavalry Recce Vehicles (CRV) and six are Medium Recce Vehicles (MRV).
The APC variant of the Mowag has a crew of two and can carrier a nine man infantry section. It has a maximum speed of 100 kilometres per hour, and is fiited with a one man turret armed with one .5 (12.7mm) Browning HMG, one 7.62mm FN MAG machine gun and eight 66mm smoke grenade launchers. The nine Mowag CRVs are fitted with a Kongsberg Remote Weapon Station (RWS) and can be armed with either a 12.7mm/.5 Browning HMG or a Heckler & Koch 40mm automatic grenade launcher
Heckler & Koch GMG
The GMG is an automatic grenade launcher developed by Heckler & Koch for the German Army. It is also often referred to as GMW .-Design details:...
. The six MRVs are fitted with a 2 man turret armed with a Oto Melara
Oto Melara
Oto Melara is an Italian defence company with factories in Brescia and La Spezia. It was founded in 1905 as a joint venture of Vickers and Terni. During World War I, Vickers Terni produced many weapons with calibre 40 mm and upwards. In 1929 the company was renamed Odero Terni Orlando with the...
30mm cannon and 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.
The Irish Mowags have been used on peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Kosovo, Lebanon and Chad.
RG-32 Light Tactical Vehicle (RG Outrider)
The Irish Army has ordered 27 RG OutriderRG Outrider
The RG Outrider, also known by its original designation RG-32M Light Tactical Vehicle , is a 4x4 multi-purpose mine-protected armoured personnel carrier manufactured by BAE Systems of South Africa. It was first introduced in early 2009 as the RG-32M LTV, and was first purchased by Ireland...
Light Tactical Vehicles from BAE Systems with the first 2 delivered in April 2010. One of the first two delivered is armed with a FN MAG 7.62mm machine gun fitted to the roof opening and the other is fitted with a Kongsberg Remote Weapon Station (RWS) armed with a Heckler & Koch 40mm automatic grenade launcher.